Hitsuzen and the sword
by The Layman
Summary: Sano consults Yuko from xxxHolic about improving his relationship with Megumi. He offers to go with her on a trip she's taking, but they get attack en route. One of them is seriously injured. Small x-over with xxxHolic. T just to be safe
1. The wishing well and Yuko

"Well," Sagara Sanosuke said as he tossed a coin into the wishing well on the outskirts of Tokyo, "here goes nothing." A moment later the coin hit the water and sent ripples splashing into the walls at the bottom of the well.

_'Pull up the bucket,'_ a voice echoed from nowhere. Sanosuke immediately jerked around, checking to see if there was anyone else around him. To his surprise he found no-one. 'Hey!' the voice echoed again. 'Pull the bucket up. It's not polite to leave a lady hanging (in this case literally) after you call for her.'

So the voice was coming from the bottom of the well. Reason told him that it probably meant there was someone trapped down there, so he cranked the handle for all he was worth. When it finally reached the top, there was only a bucket.

"What kind of crap is this!" he shouted. He peered over edge of the well, to see if there really was someone down the well to begin with.

_'In the bucket, Stupid! Why do you thin?'_ He looked in the bucket and saw the image of a woman floating on the surface.

"And just who are you suppose to be?"k I had you pull it up

_'Most people call me the Time-Space Witch, but you can call me Yuko.'_

"OK then, Yuko, could you please tell me WHAT IN HEAVEN'S NAME IS GOING ON!"

_'You were going to make a wish from this well, were you not?'_ she asked, undeterred by Sano' sudden outburst. 'Well, I'm here to help with that.'

"How are you going to help with my wish?" he asked. "And how dom you even know I have a wish to make, anyways? I could have just dropped the coin in be accident."

_'You're a practical man for the most part, correct?'_

"I guess." Unless of course you ask the Vixen or Kaoru.

_'So then it stands to reason that you don't believe in magic,'_ she stated.

"Right."

_'Which means you must be really desperate to use a method like this to solve this problem of yours.'_

"Get to the point," he said, starting to get irritated.

_'I can help you with that,'_ she stated.

"So you grant wishes?" he asked skeptically.

She grinned evilly, _'For the right price.'_

"What price?"

_'First tell me your wish, then I can set a fair price.'_ Then in a barely audible whisper she said,_ 'And milk you for all you're worth.'_

"What was-"

_'Nothing. So anyways....'_

"Well," he began. In truth, he didn't really know why he was telling this to a stranger in a well bucket, who could just as easily be the product of his nigh-invincible head taking one or two beatings too many. But he had also exhausted all his other options, and he just couldn't stop thinking about her. If only there was a way to show that stubborn Vixen that this "Bird Head" could be just as gentle as Kenshin could, "there's this girl that I like..."

_'Wonderful, I can hear the wedding bells already! Watanuki, break out the sake!'_ she called to someone elsewhere in the room she was in.

"WILL YOU JUST SHUT UP!"

_'I'm sorry, you were saying?'_ she asked, looking exactly the same as before her outburst.

"I really like this girl a lot, but she doesn't like me back."

_'Any particular reason?'_ Sano decided to ignore that.

"She says that I can never be gentle, not like that stupid Battosai does all the time."

_'The Hitokiri Battosai? How's the little runt doing?'_ How did she know who Kenshin was? Never mind, it wasn't important.

"For one, he goes by Himura Keshin now. He and Kaoru have been together for a while now, and the Tanuki has been harassing me to find a girl of my own for months."

_'So you're here because you have absolutely no skills at picking up ladies of your own, right?'_

"YOU WANNA HEAR MY WISH OR NOT?!" She let him cool down for a minute and let him continue, "I just want some way to show her I'm not just a loose canon looking ofr a fight, that I can be sensitive."

_'Although that "loose canon" remark wasn't to far off...'_

"WILL YOU QUIT IT, LADY!"

_'Fine, here's what you do....'  
_ -------------------------------------------

_Hi there, Layman speaking._

_This is my first followed through attempt since I started writing on this site at something other than Maximum Ride. Here to help me with the author's notes for this story is RuroKen's very own humble swordsman, Kenshin._

**Kenshin; Gettings Reader-sama. (*bows*) This one is pleased to assist Layman-san in explaining his writings to his readers. That he is.**

_Thank you Kenshin. Over the course of the next few chapters Kenshin and I'll try to explain some stuff we think you might not understand at first glance. For example; If you want more insight on Yuko, read xxxHolic. I think you'll find that there's really no wrong way to write her. Now hit it with that disclaimer, Battosai!_

**Kenshin; This one would like to point out that The Layman does not own Ruroni Kenshin or xxxHolic. This one would also like to point out that this one is not Battosai anymore. Simply Ruroni.**

_You absolutely right, I'll try to remember that next time. Please read and review "Angel's Story". PLEASE!_


	2. The Letter

Later that day, at dinner....

"...And then Kenshin just fell straight back into the bucket!" Yahiko said, unable to keep from laughing. "He was running around, trying get him self unstuck! It was sooooo funny!"

"Yahiko, please," Kenshin said, looking embarassed, "this one does not think it is nice to laugh at someone else's pain, it is not."

"He's right, Yahiko," Kaoru said, "you should really think about what you say before you say it. If you're not careful you could end up really hurting someone."

"Yeah, like I should take your word for it, you ugly old hag," Yahiko spat, not getting the point at all.

"YES YOU SHOULD," Kaoru exploded, grabbing her bokken and wacking Yahiko over his head.

"Hey, no fair! I thought it was dishonorable to hit an unarmed opponent."

"Well, in this case I'll gladly make an exception!"

"Oro?" Kenshin said, staring at them in confusion as she chased the injured boy around the room.

"And here I thought this might be an exciting dinner," Sano mumbled. "It seems like this is always happening, day in and day out."

"I agree with you that our dinner has become rather routine of later; perhaps we could all visit Tae at Akabeko tomorrow evening?" the ronin suggested. This was immediately met with cheers form Yahiko and Kaoru, who had since stopped fight at Kenshin's suggestion.

"That's not what I meant," Sano whined. "Besides, Sei will porbably just yell at me about not paying my tab."

"Very well, then, why doesn't Megumi-dono decided what to do? She has been rather quiet this evening."

"Huh," Megumi said, slightly startled at the mention of her name.

"Yeah, and you haven't even touched any of your rice." Kaoru looked like she was on the verge of tears, "And I worked so hard on it too."

Everyone discreetly pushed their bowls away. Everyone except Megumi.

"It's not the rice, is it?" Yahiko asked.

"No," Megumi said softly, "the rice is fine."

"Oro?" Kenshin gasped, along with gasps of "What?" and "Huh?" from Sano and Yahiko as well. Kaoru's cooking almost never tasted good, and Megumi was usually the first to point this out, if Yahiko hadn't already.

"Megumi, what's the matter?" Kaoru asked, apparently oblivious to what the men had done.

"Well, it's..." she began. She then pulled out a letter from the sleeve of her kimono and held it out. "Here," she said simply. Kaoru took the letter and began to read.

"It says there's an outbreak in Yokohama that has something to do with the "Spider's Web" drug that Megumi used make."

"That does not sound good at all, no it does not," Kenshin said.

"It also says that Megumi should come immediately, since she know so much about the drug," Kaoru continued, "and that one of the victims is her brother."

At this point everyone was silent. Eventually Kenshin spoke.

"This one is very happy for you, Megumi-dono. It must have been years since last you saw your brother, this one thinks."

"It's true," she said, "I haven't seen either of my brothers or my mother in years, but I'd always assumed they had died. To find one of them alive after all these years..." she said, breaking into tears.

"Aw, great," Sano groaned, "this is gonna turn into one big cry-fest." He got up and headed into the courtyard. "Call me when it's over," he said, and slid the door closed behind him.

After a minute Megumi calmed down. Kenshin brought her a drink and sat next to her. Kaoru looked a little vexed at this, but wisely held her tounge.

"So when will Megumi-dono be leaving?" Kenshin asked.

"What?" Megumi asked, unsure why the ronin would asked a question like that.

"Yeah, your obviously going to see your brother, right?" Yahiko added.

"Plus there's all the people there who need you help," Kaoru reminded her. "It would be a crime not to go." Secretly, she was just glad for the chance to have Kenshin to herself for a while.

"I don't know. I suppose once I can get enough money for the journey, and as soon as I get the right suplies..."

"Getting the supplies will be easy, you probably have a bunch of herbs and stuff stashed away at the clinic. The hard part will be getting enough money to make the trip to Yokohama." She rubbed her chin, think hard of a way to get the money in time. "I've got it, we'll put a pot outside of Akabeko, and people can put money it. The store turns such a profit that I'm sure the patrons won't mind sparing a little yen." Kaoru seemed proud of her idea.

"If Akabeko turns that much af a profit, why don't we just ask Tae to lend us the money?" Yahiko asked.

"Actually, this one thinks that Yahiko-san's idea is a very good one, that it is." He looked at Megumi with kind eyes, "Will that be satisfactory?"

"Y-yes," she stammered. "Thank you," she said as she flung her arms around Kenshin and end embraced him.

"OK, I think it's time for you to start packing," Kaoru said, grabbing Megumi and pushing her towards the door. "After all, you've got a big day tomorrow, so you should get plenty of sleep so you don't fall over during the day, so have a good night!" She pushed her out the door and slid it closed behind her. She then turned back to the ronin and her student, flames of rage burning in her eyes.

"Now, WHO thinks my cooking is bad?!"

"Oro?" Kenshin said while Yahiko proceeded to run for the hills.

It was at this point that Sano decided to come back in. He opened the door, then immediately slid it closed when he saw the Tanuki chasing the runt around with her bokken and Kenshin sprawled on te floor, a confused expression frozen on his face.

He really felt like some sake right now.

"And I thought it was going to be a boring evening."  
----------------------------------------------------

_Hey there, it's The Layman..._

**And Kenshin...**

_Here to talk about the story. Uh, Kenshin, you look like you have something on your mind?_

**This one would like to know why Layman-san pick Yokohama as the destination for Megumi-dono's journey?**

_Well, while I was looking at maps of Japan, I couldn't find one detailed enough, or one from the Meiji era, so I ended up using the one provided by Wikipedia. I saw that Yokohama was very close to Tokyo, and I didn't want to choose some place that was to far to walk to if needed, so Yokohama it was._

**Very interesting.**

_I guess it is. So Kenishin, what is the story with you and that bucket?_

**Um, this one does not think that it was really that funny...**

_Wuss._

**Oro?**

_Well, this is going nowhere fast, so I think I'll sign off now._

**Sayonara.**

Next time, can Sano and Megumi stand each other long enough to get to Yokohama? And who is this mysterious hooded shadow following them? And will Kaoru finally take cooking lessons? Tune in next time!


	3. The Farewell

Two day later, Sano and Megumi were on the road, headed for Yokohama.

Things weren't going well.....

"We are not going the wrong way!" Sano growled.

"Yes we are," Megumi countered. "We should have turned right back at the crossroads like the old man said, not left."

"I've traveled the length and breath of this country when I was Zanza," he bragged, "so if anyone knows how to get to Yokohama, it's me."

"Then why haven't we passed the rock that looks like a pagoda yet? The old man said he's been traveling between Yokohama and Tokyo much longer than either of us has been alive, and he always passes a large rock that looks like a pagoda an hour before he reaches the crossroads." She scowled at him, "We've been walking for three, and we have yet to see it."

"And we're not gonna, because we're going a better way," he stated confidently.

"And how is this a better way, exactly? The other way goes passed a trading post. And the roads are guarded."

"And it'll eat up two full days at least because of that stop-over. (The letter said to come soon, right?) As for this road not being guarded..." he flashed a cocky smile back at her, "well, I'm here, aren't I?"

"I guess that thick head of his can be used as a shield if necessary," she muttered to herself.

"What was that?" he asked, his head whipping back.

"Nothing," she said coyly, fox ears popping up on her head.

"THAT MEANS IT WAS SOMETHING!" he shouted, not fooled in the least.

"You're right, it was something. It was me still not believing you about this being a better road," she spat, her coy manner instantly evaporating and leaving only hostility behind. "For starters, we only have enough food to last us maybe one more day after this one. Where are we going to resupply?"

"Obviously at the next town, Vixen," he said, straining not to loose his patience. He looked up to Kami and asked why he was here in the first place?

"You volunteered," she reminded him. "Remember, Bird Head?"

------------------------------------------------------------  
_(flashback)_

_It was the day after Megumi told everyone she was needed in Yokohama, and the preparations were nearly complete. Only a few more things to before she set out..._

_"...And Kenshin, I need you to go to market and get the things on this list I made," Kaoru delegated, thrusting the list at the tired ruroni. He read it for a second before his eyes became as large as carriage wheels._

_"This seems like a lot of provisions for just one person to carry with them such a long way, this one thinks."_

_"Well, duh, it's not all for Megumi," she corrected. "Most of it is for us. Now get going!" She gave him a kick in the pants and he proceeded out the door, heading towards the market. After he left, she thought, "Hmm, maybe I shouldn't have made him get so much at once."_

_"What's going on here?" Sano asked, suddenly reappearing behind her._

_"Ah!" she said, giving a startled cry, "Where were you last night?"_

_"Out," he said simply. Something in his voice told her that she didn't need to know any more._

_"Well, while you're here, help bring Megumi's bags out here."_

_"Why should I," he asked lazily._

_"Because Megumi is at the clinic, get the supplies she'll need for Yokohama," Kaoru said, crossing her arm. "And because I said so, now get going!" She gave him a kick, but to no avail._

_As the fighter went to get the bags he though about what the witch had told him the other day. How If he could find the extra time to spend with her, the Vixen, he would have a chance to show her he wasn't just bucking for a fight._

_At least according to something the witch called "Hitsuzen"._

_As he brought the luggage out he saw that the Vixen had returned and was arguing with a man on a waggon._

_So that's how she planned on getting to Yokohama, he thought, eyeing the driver._

_"Hey Buddy," he shouted at the driver, "get lost!" He slapped the horse and it took off at full gallop, dragging the cart and driver behind it._

_"Sano," Megumi shouted at Sanosuke, who was dusting his hands off, "what on earth possessed you to do that? He was the only cart I could find that was going to Yokohama! Now I'll never get there."_

_"For your information, Vixen, he was never planning to take you there."_

_"What?"_

_"He was a con man. He was probably going to take you halfway, then ditch you and sell your stuff in another town." He met her eyes, "With all the medical supplies you were taking he probably could have made a lot of money, had he ever gotten the chance to sell it."_

_"But how did you know he was conning me?" she asked._

_"Trust me, I know the type. Kenshin probably would have seen it too, but he probably would have just scared the guys enough to give you a ride for free."_

_Megumi slumped to her knees._

_"Great, now I don't have a ride; I'll never get there in time."_

_"Why don't you just take the train? You still have the money, right?"_

_"I do," she said, "but there isn't a train for miles, and by the time I do find one it'll be to late." She broke out sobbing._

_Great, he thought, I'd better fix this._

_"I know where one is," he offered, "I could take you there."_

_"You would?" Megumi asked, wiping tears away from her eyes._

_"Why not?" he shrugged. "It's not like there's anything fun happening around here anyways."_

_(end flashback)  
------------------------------------_

"Yeah, well, I was drinking then," he retorted.

They walked for a while in silence before Sano said, "Come on, let have dinner."

"But I though we only had a days' worth of food?" Megumi asked.

"That's if we were both eating," he said. "We have more than enough for one person until we reach the train."

"You means you're not eating?" she said, suddenly realizing what he was saying.

"I've gone for much longer than this without eating," he said. "And I'm not drinking the water either, and neither are you. It's better if we wait till tomorrow to drink it."

"Why?"

"Because there's fresh water right here." He pulled back some vines and revealed the entrance to a cave.

"What's in there?" she asked nervously.

"It's an old hideout of mine from my days as Zanza. There's a little stream that runs through, so as long as you have enough food you can stay there forever." He suddenly noticed that she had wandered off a ways, picking up pieces of dried wood. "What are you doing?" he asked.

"Gathering firewood," the Vixen said, "or are we just going to sit in the dark the whole time?"

"Don't worry, I've got something else in mind," he said as he disappeared into the mouth of the cave.

--------------------------------

Oh, this was to perfect.

Not only were neither of them armed, but now they were going into a cave that had no exits.

He knew, he checked.

Now he would finally get revenge against that witch for what she did to him.

The only thing that concerned him was the man she was walking with. There was no doubt that he was Zanza, the infamous fight merchant. However, all the tails he heard about this man said that he always carried a Zanbato with him.

The only thing he was carrying now was the womans' luggage.

With all his training, as well as his secret weapon, this would be over before noon.  
------------------------------

_Hi there, The Layman..._

**And Kenshin...**

_Here again. Say, why don't we start things of with a disclaimer. Kenshin, would you do the honors?_

**Certainly. The Layman does not own Ruroni Kenishin, or any of the characters.**

_I do own the mysterious shadow that's following Sano and Megumi around. But I probably won't be developing him that much._

**By the way, this one is wondering why you did do a disclaimer last time?**

_I'm not exactly sure myself. I guess it just didn't cross my mind last time._

**Also, you say this story is suppose to be a romance. This one wonders when we will see it. Will it be soon?**

_Don't worry, it's coming. Just be patient for a few more chapters._

**Can you tell us what is happening?**

_You know I can't do that, it would ruin the surprise. Anyways, I have to get back to another story of mine, so I'll see you next time!_

**Sayounara!**

_Now, about that incident with the bucket..._

**Oro?**


	4. The Darkness

_Later that evening, as the Fox and the Bird ate dinner..._

"Megumi-san," he said, placing an empty bowl on the ground, "there's something I need to tell you." He stared at her across the small fire he built to heat the pot of food. The dancing flame highlighted the elegant pattern of her kimono, as well as the subtle lines and curves of her face.

"Yes?" she said. Since they had made camp here for the evening all her anger frustration had evaporated, leaving only weary sense of long travel.

"Well..., it's just..." he stammered, trying to find the right words to say. "What do you want?" he finally blurted out.

"What?!" Megumi said, slightly taken aback. Why would Sano ask such a question like that now? "What do you mean 'What do I want?', I want to get to Yokohama to help with the epidemic."

"Ugh, that's not what I meant," Sano grunted.

"Then what did you mean?"

"I mean what will it take to get you to like me?"

"Look," she said, her voice sounding final, "I think I've made it clear on numerous occasions that I don't like you like that. You're a strong fighter, (you certainly proved that at Edo castle), and Kenshin seems to think you're all right..." Sano scoffed at this point.

"I knew this would happen," he sighed.

"Knew what would happen, that we'd have an argument?"

"Yes. That and the fact that you're always comparing me to that...that..." he got up and paced at this point. "I mean, ever since we first met you all you've ever done is fawn over that goofy, ribbon-wearing wanderer."

"I do not!" she gasped indignantly. Then she thought about it. "Well, maybe a little," she said, fox ears appearing on her head again.

"SEE!?" he shouted. "It's always Kenshin! Maybe if you could peel your perfect little eyes off him for a second you might relize that there could other people around you who could give you the kind of affection you can't get from Kenshin."

"And I suppose you think you're one of the afore mentioned 'people you spoke of'?" she bit sarcastically.

"Frankly I do," he said, straining to keep his patience. He would have given several arguments explaining why he would be every bit as good a companion as wandering ex-samurai she admired, had he not noticed the glint of a gun barrel hidden in the trees outside his little cave. "Get down!" he shouted as he leaped through the fire, knocking it out in the process, and tackling the suddenly alarmed doctor to the ground just as he heard the tell-tail click of a trigger being pulled.

"What did you that for?!?" Megumi shouted, shoving the bird-headed young man to the side. "You stupid bird, you could have gotten me-AH!" She cried out as a bullet hit her square in the shoulder, the force of the shot knocking her back.

"Fox lady!" Sano cried, bendind over to see her wound.

"If you wanted me to listen to you, all you had to do was ask," she smiled, grunted through the pain.

"This is no time to be making cracks like that!" he yelled.

He was no doctor, but he could tell from his many battles that this wound was bad. It didn't look that deep, but she would probably die of blood loss if the bullet wasn't removed and the would closed.

"Shoot," a voice from the entrance said. Sano turned around and saw a young man, (maybe a little older then himself), standing there, holding a rifle over his shoulder. He had an evil grin on his lips, "I missed."

"My friend," Sano intoned, his voice cold as death, "you'd better explain yourself right now, or I swear, you'll wish that you were never born." He smirked, "That is, if you survive."

"I don't see why not, seeing as my quarrel isn't with you," the man said, tossing his gun away and pulling out an ornate looking knife. "My name is Sakura, and I'm going to avenge my sister by killing that witch." His voice was calm, but his eyes roared murder, staring intently at the inured doctor lying on the floor.

"Sakura? Isn't that a girl's name?" Sano asked.

"It was my sister's name," the man said, "until that witch worked her black magic on her."

"Bird-head," Megumi whispered.

"Yeah," he whispered back, discreetly.

"Deal with him, I can hold out until then."

"Are you sure?"

"Trust me, I'm a doctor."

He nodded, laying her head back gently as he got up.

"My sister was everything to me," the oddly named man continued. "Our parents both died when she and I were still young, so we were forced to fend for ourselves on the streets.

"We'd mostly gotten by for years, and we were both content with what we could get. Sometimes we were forced to petty thievery; some food from a stand, or someone's house, a coin purse if we were lucky, but we were comforted by the fact that we always had each other.

"Until that cursed day someone gave her that cursed 'Spider's Web'."

Sano paled.

"Spider's Web" was the deadlier version of opium that Megumi used to make under that crooked Doctor she used to work for. Twice as strong, using only half the materials to make it.

He could understand how the young man felt somewhat, one of his friends had died from opium. Still, the guys seemed like he was overreacting.

"Look buddy," Sano said, trying to play it cool, "I probably understand how you feel more than anybody, but even I wouldn't go this far for my dead sister."

"Who said anything about Sakura being dead?" he asked. "She's still alive."

"What do you mean-" Sano asked before he was cut off.

"Her body's alive," the man clarified, "but her mind is gone. Her body is just a shell now; unable to speak, unable to interact with anyone. A constant reminder of what I have lost." Tears were starting to form in his eyes now. "At night she has terrible nightmares, by day all she can do is eat, and it's all because of that stinking witch," he said, gesturing angrily at the injured doctor on the floor.

"Alright," the fighter said, "I can see it would be pointless to argue with you about this any longer, so why don't I defeat you quickly so she and I can get to Yokohama, OK?"

"Fool, there never was an outbreak in Yokohama." Wait, there wasn't?! But what about- "I wrote that letter for the sole purpose of luring the witch into my trap, and it worked perfectly!"

For a long moment Sano just stood there, unable to believe what he was hearing. This punk was completely obsessed with revenge. And if he got it in his mind to hold a grudge against someone else...

Unfortunately he didn't have time to finish the thought, because the man was now rushing at him, shouting "Eat poison!".

His knife hit Sano's skull dead center.

"A poisoned blade, huh?" Sano scoffed. "A coward's tactic. Let me give you a little piece of advice," he said as he unleashed the full fury of the _Futae no Kiwami_, The "Mastery of Two Layers" strike. The man flew back, landing in a patch of bushes a fair ways off.

"Blades like that only work if they pierce the skin. You still have a ways to go," he muttered as he turned back to Megumi.

If he let her die she'd never let him her the end of it.

----------------------------

Sakura cursed himself for breathing. He should have realized that the man witch was traveling with was Zanza, the legendary fighter for higher. He foolishly hadn't recognized him without the enormous zanbato he carried with him. Why didn't he have it with him?

But that was a question for another time. Right now he needed to get to his secret weapon, his failsafe in case thing went wrong.

And things had most definitely went wrong.

He had gone much difficulty to aquire this, and it was murder to transport. He had to applaud the Chinese for making such fine rockets, if only they could be smaller.

Good, it was just where he left it. He threw away the brush he'd concealed it under and aimed it in general direction of the cave. His vision was still off from the hit he took, but even if it didn't explode inside the cave the shock-wave would cause all the loose rocks to fall over the entrance, effectively trapping them inside. They would either die in the explosion or die of starvation in the cave-in.

Whichever was more painful.

He took out a box of western matches and used one to light the fuse, then he tried to get as far away as possible before it went off.

He heard it go off a minute later and heard it crash into the cave, just like he planned. He went back to where the cave was to see what exactally had happened.

When he got there the he saw that the entrance was completely covered with rubble.

Good, he thought, they'd both die of starvation. Now he had two things to brag about; vengeance for his beloved sister,

And the death of Zanza at his own hand.  
------------------------------------

**Hey everybody, Layman here! Normally this is the part where I introduce Kenshin and we talk about some things in the story that might be confusing. Well, Kenshin had a little, *cough* disagreement with Kaoru and she beat the living tar out of him. So while he's reconvering, Rorshach from WATCHMEN will be standing in today. Say hi to all my readers, Rorshach.**

_Hurrm. Hello._

**OK then, why don't we get started with the discussion. Do you have any questions about the story so far?**

_Character "Sakura" is male, yet has woman's name. Possibly homosexual? Must investigate further._

**Oh, there won't be any need for that. When I was creating that character, I was too lazy to actually think up an original name for him, so I just called him the first thing that came to my head. Needless to say the name of the main character of Cardcaptor Sakura and Tsubasa; Reservoir Chronicle was the first thing for some some weird reason.**

**After that, his backstory just wrote itself. He needed a cause; he would avenge his sister. Why was he avenging his sister? She was left broken after taking "Spider's Web". Who do we know used to make "Spider's web"? Well, you get the idea.**

_But why take name of his sister as own name? Makes no sense. Sounds fruity._

**I actually didn't think of a definitive reason for him to do that, so let's just say it's his way of keeping the memory of his sister alive, or something like that.**

_ Hurrm, stupid reason. Whole corporate facade is stupid. Leavingow._ *fires grappling hook and swings out of Author's Note*

**Rorshach? Well, anyways, Kenshin should be back next time, and if he's not I'm sure I'll find some other sucker- *cough* Err, I mean, "guest star" to help me out next time.** *Chuckles nervously, sweat drops*** Um, see you next time?**


	5. The Love

Meanwhile, back in the cave...

Sano had been tending to Megumi's shoulder when the entrance collapsed, so he hadn't noticed the explosion that caused it until it was already happening. Now they were trapped in here. Together.

Alone.

"How bad is it?" the injured doctor asked.

"Your shoulder or the door?"

"What do you think, Bird-head?" she shot back.

"We're sealed in here pretty good," he said, smirking. Giving her an embarrassed look, he asked, sheepishly, "I don't suppose you'd mind me using my 'two Layered Strike' again to get us out of here?"

"Absolutely not! You weren't even suppose to use it that time. Now we have to start your treatments all over-Ouch!" she cried out as Sano pulled the bullet out of the wound.

"This may hurt a little," he said as he threw the bullet into the stream.

"Now you tell me," she groaned as she propped herself higher against the wall. "You know you have a terrible bedside manner?"

"Seeing as how you're not even in a real bed you shouldn't really be complaining." Now he was tearing some clothe into strips. Blood on his fingers staining it a little. "You're just lucky the bullet wasn't any farther in, then we'd really be in trouble."

"You do know I know Western medicine," she pointed out. "Removing a bullet isn't that difficult, although it is painful."

He hadn't really thought about that.

"So...,how are you doing?" he asked uncertainly. She tried to move her arm and winced.

"To soon to tell, but as long as the bullet wasn't poisoned..." Her voice trailed off, and she stared off into space.

"What is it?" Sano asked.

"I just can't believe that someone would go to all that trouble for a vendetta. Well, actually, I can believe it," she amended, "because it happens to Kenshin all the time."

"But not against you, though."

She sighed.

"I thought I'd put that part of my past behind me. I guess I was just so caught up in atoning for what I did that I didn't think about who might have been hurt by my actions."

After that the conversation slowed to a crawl. Occasionally one or the other would speak, but mostly it revolved around Sano tending to Megumi's wound and Megumi telling him what the correct procedures.

They for a long time they just sat silently, neither feeling much like talking.

Eventually Sano got up and tried to clear the rocks from the entrance, but soon gave up, unable to even budge the stones without Futae no Kiwami.

"You should save your strength;" the Vixen said, "find another way out."

"I hate to burst your bubble, Foxy, but there aren't any other way out of here. I made sure of that when I first found it."

"Well that's just great," Megumi said, starting to get angry again. "Here I am, miles away from home, lured here by a fake letter, trapped in a cave with no way out...." She covered her face with her hands and sobbed. "I'm scared, Sanosuke," she said.

"Of what?" he asked.

"Of dying," she continued, "of breaking my promise to Kanshin to atone for my mistakes...of never finding someone to share the rest of my life with." She sounded slightly embaressed saying that last part.

For the longest time Sano said nothing, fearing whatever he might say might worsen the Fox's pain. Eventually he reached into a secret pocket in his pants and puled out a little wood carving.

"Here," he said, placing it in her hand, "I want you to have this."

"What is it?" she asked, turning it in her hands to feel the design.

"It was a gift," he said, "from my first sweetheart."

Suddenly realizing what he said she immediately tried to give it back. "I-I-I can't accept this," she stammered, "what will she think if she found out-"

"I don't think she'd mind," he said somberly. "She's dead; killed in the Bakumatsu."

"Oh." Megumi was speechless. She'd had no idea such a tragedy ahd happened to Sano. "What happened?" she asked delicately.

"It was right after the Sekihoutai were betrayed," he explained. "I'd been wandering aimlessly for months, picking fights whenever I could to get stronger, before I ran into a stone cutter and his family.

"I stayed with them, getting to know their only daughter well." He paused for a second, a smile snuck across his lips as he remembered. "When I was with her it was like the pain of loosing Sagara, my oldest friend and mentor, would just disappear. Sometimes she and I would sit and stare at the sun as it set.

"One day the father got a summons, bidding him to come to Kyoto to carve an important statue. As they were leaving the daughter took me aside and kissed me. Then she gave me a charm she was carving, saying it was a symbol of our love.

"I traveled again after that, not wanting to impose on their house now that they weren't there. Eventually I came to a town were I heard of massacre in Kyoto; some troublemakers attacked the site of a commissioned statue, killing everyone there in the name of free Japan.

"Amongst the dead were the stonecutter and his family, each stabbed though the neck."

Megumigasped, shuddering at the horrific image. To see the Fighter for Higher like this, almost on the verge of tears, she knew it was a rare thing indeed to be allowed a glimpse into the life of Sagara Sanosuke.

"After that I wandered again, eventually finding my zanbato and becoming the Fighter for Higher. But I always kept the charm with me. Somehow, I just could bring myself to part with it."

"So why are you giving it to me?" Megumi asked.

"Because I love you," he said, kneeling down beside her now. "You're the first person I could bring myself to care about after the incident."

He took her hands in his, and stared straight into her eyes.

"Do you think you could love me back?"

For a moment she said nothing, her mind still trying to take in everything that had just happened. Then, she leaned in closer and planted a kiss on his lips.

"I do, Sanosuke."

"What happened to 'Bird-head?'" he asked, surprised she didn't use the insult she was so fond of.

"I met someone else," she smiled as she leaned in for another kiss. There was something different about this one though; it was deeper, more passionate.

A kiss of true love.

___________________________________________________________________

_Hey there, readers. Layman here, and Kenshin's back!_

**Konnichiwa. This one is pleased to be back, that I am. **

_As you may or may not remember, Kenshin had a little, um, "mishap" last time and couldn't make it, so I had Rorshach from "Watchmen" stand in for him then. (I was watching the motion comics, ok!*sobs*) But now that Kenshin's back, things should go much more smoothly. Take this disclaimer for instance. Kenshin? _

**The Layman does not own Ruroni Kenshin, only the plot and one OC. **

_Thanks Kenshin. First of all, I'd like to clear up any confusion people might have about the last chapter. _

_The character "Sakura" is a guy. He took his sister's name, after she was left broken (think mostly brain dead) do to "Spider's Web", for his crusade of vengance. For a better picture try re-reading chapter 4, "The Darkness". _

**This one was quite confused about that as well, that I was. Thank you for explaining it. **

_You're quite welcome, Kenshin. I know it must be slightly confusing when you read it for the first time. You certainly took it better than Rorshach. But tell me, why did Kaoru beat the tar out of you? _

**Um, this one is embarrassed to say, but I forgot to get Kaoru-dono something for White-day. **

_Hmmm, who else do we know who is like that?_

**And I refused to eat the soba she prepared for dinner. **

_Okaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay, While I take Kenshin to a good shrink, you take the time to drop a review. Oh, and if you have any questions about the story so far, don't hesitate to ask! See you next time! _

Will Sano and Megumi finally get out of cave? Do the others even miss them? Will Kaoru get anger management? Toon in time. Same Fan-fic time, same Fan-fic channel.


	6. The Conclusion

Meanwhile, back at the Kamiya Kashin Dojo...

"I wonder how Megumi and Sano are doing?" Kaoru asked during her and Yahiko's morning regime. "It's been at least two days now; I wonder if they've reached Yokohama yet."

"They're probably not even halfway there yet," Yahiko answered. "You know how Sano hates trains, so it'll probably be a few more days before they even get close to Yokohama on foot."

"I know," she said, wringing her bokken worriedly, "but I just can't help thinking that something bad might have happened to them. I mean, it's such a long way to Yokohama on foot that just about anything could happen to them."

"Please cheer up, Kaoru-dono," Kenshin said from the porch, "there really is nothing to worry about. Sano is more than capable of handling anything without my help and Megumi-dono is much to crafty to get fooled into anything. They'll be just fine."

"Yeah," Yahiko said with any evil grin on his face, "unless they kill each other first."

He promptly received a Thwack! on the head from Kaoru's bokken.

"Hey! What did you do that for, you ugly girl!"

"Because you shouldn't say things like to a girl when she's worried, that's why. AND WHAT DO YOU MEAN 'UGLY'!"

"Now, now you two," Kenshin stammered as Kaoru chased Yahiko around the courtyard, "fighting never really solves anything, that it does not. Besides-"

A presence.

He looked up and saw his arch-rival, the last remaining Wolf of Mibu, Saito Hajime, standing in the doorway.

"What are you doing here, Saito?" he asked, deadly serious.

"I was in the neighborhood on business and thought I'd drop in and say hi," the policeman said. He looked over at Kaoru and Yahiko, who were still fighting despite the policeman's arrival. "I'm not interrupting anything, am I?"

"No, but that still doesn't tell me what you want with us here."

"Hmm, perceptive as always, Battosai," he mused. Then straightening up, he said, "If you must know, I was transporting a dangerous fugitive to prison, and I didn't feel like going all the way to Kyoto." By this time the Tanuki and the Mouse had stopped fighting and were now listening intently to what Saito was saying.

"Really? How dangerous was he? Did you have to you your 'Gatotsu' on him?" Yahiko asked, mimicking the stance in question.

"Actually, he was drunk at a tavern when I found him."

Yahiko groaned in disappointment.

"Which reminds me why I came here in the first place," Saito continued. "When I found him, he was spouting off the descriptions of all the people he killed in his "Quest to avenge his sister". More to the point, he'd just killed the 'Fox-like witch whore responsible for it all' and her 'Chicken-headed companion' the day before burying them in a cave-in.

"Know anyone by those descriptions?"

For a minute Kenshin just stood petrified, trying to comprehend what he'd just taken in. Yahiko and Kaoru were a bit more vocal.

"Wait, are you talking about Megumi and Sano?" "Did he actually say it was them?" "You're absolutely sure it was them?" "How drunk was he?"

"Where did it happen?"

"Huh, when did what happen, Kenshin?" Kaoru asked.

"The place where this man said he killed Megumi-dono and Sanosuke, where was it exactly?" As Kaoru looked in his eyes, she could begin to see traces of his old Hitokiri personality. 'Wow,' she thought, 'this must really be serious if it could bring out some of Kenshin's old Battosai.'

"It happened about ten miles east of a trading town a day from here." He walked over to the door and opened it, "You could get there faster with a carriage."

Outside the dojo was parked a municipal carriage.

"Cool, we'll get there in no time with this," Yahiko said, rushing to get in the carridge before anyone else.

"Wait," Kaoru said, eyeing the policeman suspiciously, "why you being so nice to us? I thought you wanted to kill Kenshin."

"Let me put it this way," he said bluntly, "I don't want you guys nagging me for the rest of my life about not telling you about this. Besides," he had a mischievous, evil glint in his eyes, "we were getting rid of this one, anyway."

"How very generous of you," Kaoru deadpanned, climbing into the cab.

"And Battosai," the policeman said as Kenshin was about to get in, "when you find that moronic bird-head, tell him I think he's incredibly stupid for letting himself get trapped like that in the first place."

* * *

"Achoo!" Out of nowhere Sano suddenly let out a sneeze.

"What was that for?" Megumi asked, surprised at the sudden intrusion on the silence.

"I don't know," Sano shrugged, "there must be some dust in the air or something."

"Just don't start getting sick on me, or else I'll have to find a way to 'cure' you," she said with an evil glint in her eye.

"Wh-why did you say 'cure' like that?" Sano asked nervously. Megumi chuckled.

"I was only joking, Sano," she explained. "You really shouldn't take things so seriously all the time."

"You're right. I guess being trapped in a cave for my last days on earth is just making me a little antsy." He punched the wall with his good hand, "On top of that I hate it when I feel useless, and not being able to use my Futae no Kiwami to get us out of here isn't helping things."

"You could help me change my bandages," Megumi said, looking down at her shoulder.

"Well," he sighed, "at least it's something."

After he changed her dressing he made a fire and boiled the last of the rice.

"You know," she said, "it might be a while until we have food again after that's finished."

"You're probably right," he said, "so then we should probably enjoy this stuff as much as we can, right?"

She wanted to come up with some snappy retort, some insult of how idiotic that suggestion was, but she couldn't. She'd just admitted that she loved him, and there was a strong chance that they wouldn't live for very much longer. Not mention everything else he did for her sinse this whole misadventure started; the crooked cart driver, offering to go with her, protecting her from the young man bent on revenge, tending to her wound...

She decided to humor him.

"You're right," she said, smiling, "we should enjoy this meal. Do we have anything besides the rice?"

"Well," Sano said as he rumaged through the bags, "here's some of the Missy's Onigiri she made for us."

"..."

"Throw them away?"

"Right."

After Sano scrounged up a few more odds and ends from the food sack he mixed them in with the cooking rice and sat down next to Megumi.

"You never told me you could cook," she smirked teasingly.

"What, this? This is nothing. I mean, how hard is it to cook rice?" Megumi chuckled.

"Now I know why you're always freeloading at the Kamiya dojo."

"I do not!" Sano shouted indignantly. "Well, OK, maybe I do, but still!" He stopped when he suddenly noticed she was laughing. "Hey, what's so funny!?"

"I'm sorry," she said, trying to calm herself down, "it's just that this is the first I've laughed like that in forever, it felt really good. Thank you."

"Uh, no problem?" he said, somewhat at a loss for words. He wasn't expecting quite that response. "But anyways, I think the food's ready."

They ate mostly in silence, savoring their last meal together. When they did speak it mostly consisted of "thank you"s and "don't mention it's". For some reason there just wasn't that much to talk about.

Eventually they finished eating and decided to get some sleep for the night. At least they thought it was night out. Truth be told their wasn't much light in the cave except for the fire they made.

"Sano," Mehumi said, laying her head on his lap, "there's something I want to tell you."

"What is it?"

"Well, it's just that...If anyone every asks me how I would spend my last day on earth, I'd tell them I'd spend it with you."

"But what about all your sick patients at the Clinic?" Sano asked. "You wouldn't be a very good doctor if you just neglected all of them, would you?"

"Don't worry," she said as she kissed his cheek, "I'd help them the day before."

.oOo.

Crash!

Sano and Megumi jerked awake by the sound of crashing rocks.

"What was that?" the startled doctor asked.

"I don't know," Sano growled, "but if it's another nut-job with a vendetta, I'm seriously gonna develop a complex."

"Please be careful," Megumi pleaded. "They probably have a canon or something equally as powerful to make that kind of noise."

"Don't worry, I've faced down much worse than a canon." He was about to go give whoever this new intruder was a piece of his mind, when...

"Sano, Megumi-dono, are you here? Where are you!"

"Hey, that when Kenshin!" Sano exclaimed. "How did they get here?"

"More importantly, how did he find us?" Megumi asked.

"Why don't we ask him ourselves?" In one swift motion he stooped down and lifted Megumi in his arms, then ran towards the newly re-opened cave mouth as fast as he could.

* * *

Meanwhile, at said cave mouth...

"Whoa," Yahiko breathed, "it's hard to believe that one little rocket could do all this."

"Actually," Kenshin said, "I've heard that Chinese rockets are quite powerful, that they are."

"Do you think they're alright in there, Kenshin?" Kaoru asked. "I mean, I packed them enough of my Super Special Onigiri, but..."

"What the heck were you thinking!" Yahiko shouted. "were you _trying_ to kill them? Besides, they probably both got buried when the entrance fell down."

The instant Yahiko's head made a hasty reunion Kaoru's bokken, he knew he shouldn't have said that.

"Yahiko, you really should be more sensitive to a woman's feelings at a time like this," she said, her eye's beginning to well up with tears. "Besides, they were your friend too. You should really be more-"

"They're still alive in there," Kenshin said, touching the pile of rubble, "but I cannot tell if they are both well, that I can't."

"Well then we have to get in there," Kaoru said, grabbing a large rock and pulling with all her might. "Eeaauugh! Come on, help me move this thing!"

The other two just stared, dumbfounded.

"I do not think that will do any good, Kaoru-dono, even with your man-like strength."

She glared at him.

"However, I do believe that the Hiten Misturugi-Ryu will come in handy here quite nicely, that I do."

"Are you gonna use the Amakake Ryu no Hirameki?" Yahiko gasped.

"No. I believe Ryo-Tsui-Sen will be more than adequate for this purpose."

"Oh well," Yahiko sighed, "whatever gets them out. Hey, Ugly, you'd better get back here before Kenshin goes crazy on these rocks!"

"WHAT DID YOU JUST CALL ME!?!?!?!" Kaoru screamed, chasing Yahiko up and down the road.

"Oro?" Kenshin moaned.

Getting back into focus he leaped into the air, bringing he Sakabato on the heap of rubble with such force that the mound shattered and flew in every direction at once.

When the rubble stopped flying he stepped into the cave and shouted, "Sano! Megumi-dono! Are you here? Where are you!" He was about go further in when he saw a shape moving in the darkness.

"Hey Kenshin!" the shape called.

"Sano! You're alive and well, I see," the ruroni called back.

"Yeah, but not so much for Megumi here."

Kenshin's face became dark.

"What happened?"

"I got hit in the shoulder with a bullet," Megumi said, hanging form Sano's neck. "Sano removed the bullet. I'm in no danger of dying, but I should still see a doctor as soon as possible."

"Right. Yahiko and Kaoru-dono are waiting outside with a carriage, we should get going as soon as possible, just as Megumi-dono said. Sano nodded his agreement.

"By the way Kenshin, thanks for coming to get us."

"I'm afraid I cannot take all the credit for this, that I can't. Yahiko and Kaoru-dono did come as well, and Saito Hajime was the one who provided us with the carriage."

"WHAT!" Sano exploded. "That sneaky, no-good, good for nothing low-life knew about us and didn't do anything?!?!"

* * *

Meanwhile, wherever Saito is...

"Achoo! Achoo! Achoo!"

"Is something wrong, good sir?" the owner of the noodle stand asked the policeman standing before him.

"No," he said, "it's probably just someone talking about me somewhere."

And I think I know who.  
___________________________________

_Hey everyone, Layman here!_

_Whew! I finally finished the sixth chapter. Just one more to go!_

_Anyways, what did you think of the story? Like it? Hate it? Whatever you think, please drop me a line. Just click the little button at the bottom of this page. It's the one that says "Review this Story/Chapter"._

_Now let's get back on track with tonight's guest host, Misao Makimachi of Aoi-Ya! Leader of the Oniwabanshu!_

**Tee hee, Hiya!**

_Thank you for joining us, Misao. Would you mind give the disclaimer?_

**Of course not!** *clears throat* **The Layman does own Ruroni Kenshin or any related materials. How was that?**

_That was fine. Now, since this is your first time appearing in this, do you have any questions about the story?_

**Yeah, I do. First of all, why did you bring Saito into this? That guy gives me the creeps.**

_Actually, my reason for doing that was completely selfish. Mostly, he was the only person I could think of to inform Kenshin and his friends about Sano and Megumi's predicament._

**That may be true, but WHAT ABOUT ME?! *breaks down into tears* I'm the leader of the most comprehensive spy group in all of Japan. WHY COULDN'T THAT BE ME!**

_Um, well..._

**"Flying bird kick!"**

BONK!

_Oro?_

Yuko returns next time, so be sure to tune in, OK.


	7. The Epilogue

_Two weeks later Sano returns to the wishing well to give "that stupid Time-Space Witch" a piece of his mind._

"Hey, Witch-lady," Sano yelled into the well, "show your face already! I know you're in there!"

After a few more hours of shouting (and looking completely ridiculous to any passers-by), he remembered that the witch hadn't appeared until he threw a coin in.

He dug in his hands into his pockets and found the last two coins he had on him. He grunted.

"Shoot, I was gonna use these at the dice game tonight," he muttered. "Oh well, at least I'll still have the one left."

He tossed the coin in and watched it fall to the bottom. As the ripples it made when it hit the water settled, he could begin to hear a woman's voice come into clarity.

_'...And then he said, "So why bother telling me at all!". I know! But trust me, he's even funnier in person. He even wore a pair of ridiculous headphones that looked like ears, just because I told him to!'_

"Hey, Witchy, you just gonna leave standing here all day or what?" Sano asked.

_'I have to go now, a customer is calling. OK. OK. I'll call you again soon. OK. Bye now.'_ She hung up the ornate phone she was using and turned to Sano. _'Welcome back Sagara Sanosuke. I trust you and your girlfriend had some, ahem, "Quality time"?'_ she asked, a mischievous glint in her eye.

"Waddaya mean, 'quality time'!? Because of your stupid advice, Megumi ended with an injured shoulder and she and I ended up trapped in a cave because some punk decided to knock us off in some idiotic act of self-righteous vengeance! I don't see how any of that can be considered 'quality time'."

_'What advice?'_ shen chuckled. _'I only told you to help her out some time, I had absolutely no control over what happened as the result of that.'_

"Grrrrrrrrr!"

_'As for your time not having any value, let me ask you this...,'_ Her face became serious. _'Did anyone die?'_

Did anyone die? What kind question was that?

"I don't think so," Sano answered uncertainly, "but that might have something to do with the fact that I was TRAPPED IN A FREAKING CAVE FOR TWO WHOLE DAYS!"

_'That's good to hear. Now, are you two still together?'_

"Well, yeah, she comes by the dojo at least once a day to see me."

_'Then I'd say the time you spent in the cave fostering your romance had much more quality to it than if you hadn't.'_ Yuko was now grinning like a Chesire cat.

"I guess when you put it that way-"

_'Now about your payment.'_ Sano went pale.

"Maybe I could possibly open a tab with you?" Sano asked pathetically.

_'I don't think that would be possible,'_ Yuko stated, _'at least if your tab at the Akabeko is anything to go by.'_

"H-how...how did you know about that?!" Sano asked nervously.

Yuko chuckled again.

_'Oh, I know a great, many things about you, Sagara. Including a few interesting tidbits that I'm should you'd rather stay buried.'_

Sano gulped.

_'But if we settle the matter of the payment, I won't go into any of them...maybe.'_

"Fine," Sano said dejectedly, his head hanging low, "let's just get this over with. How much do I owe you?'

_'Oh, just whatever money you have on you right now will do just fine.'_ She looked him over, _'But by the looks of you it doesn't look like you have that much.'_

"WHAT WAS THAT!?!" he shouted into the well. "Here," he said, throwing a coin in, "take this and good riddance! Now if you'll excuse me, I'm off to a dice game."

_'With what money?'_ Yuko asked.

Sano froze in mid-stride.

"You knew this would happen, didn't you!" he shouted back.

_'Maybe,'_ she answered coyly. _'But don't worry, I'm sure you won't see me again.'_

"Aw, who needs you anyways!" he shouted as he threw a rock into well at her face.

And with a splash she was gone.

* * *

"Stupid Time-Space Wtich," Sano grumbled on his way back to the dojo, "Who does she think she is? Robbing me of my last penny like that. Now I'll never be able to win enough money to pay for a meal tonight."

"Like you could win anything to begin with," Megumi said, suddenly appearing to his right.

"Oh, Hi Megumi," he said. "Where did you come from?"

"Um, I live here, remember?" He then noticed that he was standing in front of her house.

"Oh."

"So what are you doing here?"

"I was out by the old wishing well and I lost the last of my money there. Now I have no way to get a hot meal tonight."

"You mean you're not going to eat at the dojo?"

"Have you tried Kaoru's cooking? Besides..." he trailed off.

"I was actually just about to make dinner myself, would you like to join me?"

"You really mean it?!" Sano said, immediately perking up.

"Of course, don't couples share meals all the time?"

"You do have a point there," he agreed. "Uh, I'll be in in a minute, there's something I need to do first."

"Alright, just don't take to long."

"No problem," he said, "be back in a second." And with that he raced back to the wishing well as fast as he could.

When he got there he stuck his head down the well and shouted, "Hey Witch, I don't know if you can here me, and I'm still mad at you for skiffing me like that, but I think I'm starting to like this "Hitsuzen" of yours, whatever it is!"

* * *

_Meanwhile, Tokyo, preasant day..._

"Achoo!"

"Bless you," Watanuki said as he brought Yuko's dinner into the room.

"Bless you, bless you!" Maru and Moro echoed in perfect synchronized stereo.

"Thank you," Yuko said, "but I'm fine. It's probably just someone talking about me somewhere."

"Are you sure you're not coming down with something? It has been getting rather cold lately."

"I already said I'm fine, not shut up and bring me another bottle of sake."

"Another?!" Watanuki shrieked. "But you've had three bottles already. You're going to destroy your liver in days if you keep this up."

"Oh, I've destroyed my liver years ago, just bring me the sake."

"Sake! Sake!" Maru and Moro chanted, dancing around Watanuki's legs and almost making him drop his tray.

"Fine," he grumbled as he put the tray down in front of Yuko, "but you're taking an extra dose of Eki-Kyabe tomorrow."

"As long as I get my sake!"

Watanuki groaned, it was going to be another long night at the wish shop.

Fin.  
___________________________________________________

_Layman here, with my very special guest host, Yuko Ichihara! What's up, Yuko?_

Hic!

_Ok, I see you've already been in the mini-bar. Why don't I do the disclaimer this time. We'll see how you are after that, OK?_

Sure. *nods head* Ow.

_Hey Watanuki, bring that Eki-kyabe in here, pronto! Now where was I? Oh yes. Ahem, **I, The Layman, do not own, or own anything related to, Ruroni Kenshin or xxxHolic.** How you feelin' Yuko?_

Better. And I have some questions for you.

_Well, go ahead and ask. That's what I'm here for._

OK, why did you make me out as a two-timing con artist who always gives her customers the short end of the stick?

_...And the next question?_ *sweatdrops*

Do you have any sak-

_Watanuki!_

* * *

_Thank you for bearing with me throughout the story. I'm sorry if there wasn't as much xxxHolic as you thought, but I hope this last chapter makes up for that fact. As for not really mentioning anything about the above story, well, we're dealing with Yuko here, is it really that much of a surprise? _

_Be sure to check out the rest of my stories (most of which are about Maximum Ride) as well. "Valium, you gotta love it" is a good one, and you should also give "Angel's Story" a try as well. Trust me, it's a good read, and I'm not just tooting my own horn here. _

_Also, keep an eye on "Angel's on Atlantis". There's an exerpt up now, and more chapters to come soon, now that I've finished this story. So until next time, God bless!_


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